73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: Irish_Alley on July 23, 2015, 11:37:38 am
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i wanted one to help with mpgs after searching the interweb i found on from Extang part number 32535 (talk to Captkaos hes a dealer)
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29660;image)
its a pretty basic set up and it was late when i put it on so i really didnt no pictures then. if i didnt have the slide and lock tie down system on my bed rails it would of took under half hour. but i had to cut parts of my slide locks off in order to clamp down the bed cover.
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29662;image)
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29664;image)
after that the frame just sits in the bed with foam padding to protect the paint lol. on the front part where it touches the tool box theres a "L" bracket thats about 5 or so inches long this is for adjustments if you have a smaller tool box.
cant see it on mine cause i didnt need to adjust it
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29666;image)
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the snaps on it are made so in the summer you can adjust to "tighter" and the winter it can be "looser"
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29668;image)
then as you can see, the support bars are also adjustable. lower is for "looks" and the upper part is for "performance"
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29662;image)
i really dont see that much difference in the two i so kept in lower for "looks"
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29670;image)
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29672;image)
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29674;image)
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With that truck you need all the mpg help you can get haha
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Love the look... May opt for one for my extended cab. My only experience with them is when you had to drill and mount the buttons on the bed and when it got cold it was next to impossible to snap them back to slide something in the tailgate. Then the cover went bad and the rivits starting leaving rust streaks. This was my uncles installation, notice how straight everything was.
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(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29678;image)
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=29680;image)
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yes this is definitely an improvement imo over the old design. one down side is you have to role up the cover you cant remove it as it slides into the front channel. sooo in order to remove it you have to remove each clamp and remove the whole frame. you can remove the cross members for use of the bed and you can remove the rear support that goes over the tailgate with the east of push buttons. so you can gain the full use of your bed with ease
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So when can we expect preliminary fuel economy improvement numbers?
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When I take my foot out of it
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Your mpgs went up as soon as you bought that cover, before it was even installed.
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Yeah the Cummins did improve the mpg. In va right now put about 200 miles on 1/2 tank, then I started pushing 75 so she started sucking fuel. Then my alternator crapped out by time we arrived about 4 hrs the volts are low I was wondering when she would just quit.
She used to stay at about 14 then I started watching her slowly fade to the red. Hope I can find a replacement around here. It's a good ideal if your running a custom alternator to Cary a backup just for situations like this
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I wish I got 200 miles to half a tank. 200 miles is about my whole tank worth, also depends how much time I spend at idle or cruising 55-60 in OD and lock up. The TBI has helped tremendously, but it could be better.
Probably not a bad idea on the spare.
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so from last week i hauled a trailer full of trash the scales said me and the trailer weighed 12840 lbs. and 12020 without the trash. i had the bed cover rolled up cause i had trash in it and just left it alone got 16 mpgs. this is via gps on the phone. kept it under 60. i think keeping it under 60 is a much better way to save mpgs than the cover but the cover does help the truck look better if nothing else.
this week i been driving it easy and around 60 with the cover unrolled ill fill up prob tonight and roll the cover back on it and drive it a couple days and see where i sit.
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just filled up without the cover in place and my daily drive speed limit <60 it was 16.3 mpg
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Always enjoy seeing real world numbers! Thanks for updating!
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yeah it might be getting better mpgs now. but its not fair to compare them to the original numbers cause now i have my tcc switch working right. so now im going to have to roll the cover back up and drive around a week to get new numbers
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If you get a full tilt tonneau with it, you don't have to roll it up...
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i wonder if they make a kit to convert mine to the full tilt? shouldnt be too hard to make one with lifters or something. but i did another fill up and my mpgs stayed about the same with the tcc switch locked but at the same time since i put bigger tires they are a little wider so they probably have more rolling resistance.
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I think the frame for the top is different. Take a picture of the back of yours at the cab. If it is the same it will have a lip on the end...
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figured i would update with some bad news lol. as i been filling up week to week with the cover rolled up with it rolled down, im not seeing any difference with the mpgs. now maybe it has to do with the diesel and its power band. i might loan it to my buddy with his crew cab dually with a 454 and th400.
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31386.0;attach=37209;image)